Spring bed



Dec. 5, 1933. c. B. CHENAULT SPRING BED Filed Nov. 6. 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 abkwmmp (T Z- ie/mail.

Dec. 5, 1933.

c. B. CHENAULT 1,938,277

SPRING BED Filed Nov. 6. 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 mm A Patented Dec. 5, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention has for its object the provision of novel means whereby a spring bed will accommodate itself to the position of an occupant and in which the upper portion of the bed will remain level notwithstanding that the weight imposed thereon may be at one side of the center. Another object of the invention is to provide a novel supporting means for a spring bed which is easily adjustable to bedsteads of different widths, and a further object of the invention is to provide means for supporting the bed which will permit the springs to pass down between the side rails of the bedstead, when weight is imposed thereon, and the movement of the bed springs will be transmitted equally to all parts of the spring structure. These stated objects, and other objects which will appear incidentally in-the course of the following description, are attained in such a structure as is illustrated in the accompanying 20 drawings and the invention resides in certain novel features which will be particularly defined in the appended claim.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a View, partly in elevation and partly in transverse section, of a bed having the present invention applied thereto, the vertical plane of the section being indicated by the line 1--1 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 2 is a view, partly in plan and partly in section, on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, r i

Fig. i is a detail section on the line 44 of Fig 3,

1 Fig. 5 is a detail view of the link connection between the inner ends of the equalizing levers.

The invention may be applied to any known or approved bedstead and in the drawings I have shown one end frame 1 and portions of side rails 2 connecting the end frames. The spring bed consists of a plurality of helical springs 3 which are arranged in rectangular relation and are provided in sufficient number to extend over the entire area of the bed, the upper ends of the springs 3 being connected by smaller coiled springs 4 and being also connected, in any convenient manner, with a border frame consisting of a rod 5, which extends around the entire area of the spring bed and may have the upper ends of the adjacent springs 3 connected thereto by small wire links, as indicated at 6. The springs are supported at their lower ends by cross bars or slats 7 which are disposed transversely of the bed and may be provided in any desired number according to the size of the bed. The end slats or cross bars '7 have their ends bent longitudinally of the bed, as shown at 8, and secured to angle bars 9 which constitute the side bars of the lower spring frame and have the intermediate cross bars or slats 7 firmly secured thereto, as will be understood At the center of the spring bed, I secure to the upper frame 5 the upper ends of links or hangers 10 which extend downwardly and inwardly from the rod or bar 5 constituting the upper frame and have their lower ends disposed between the innermost cross bars or slats 7 and connected with the latter by coiled springs 11, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. These hangers and springs constitute stabilizers for resisting any tendency of the upper frame to contract when weight is imposed upon the bedstead without detracting in any way from the yieldability of the bed to conform to the position of a sleeper. By providing these stabilizers, the collapsing or sagging of the spring bed is resisted but, when weight is imposed upon the bed, the springs are free to contract or close so that the occupant of the bed will be comfortable and at ease in any position he may assume.

The spring bed is provided adjacent its ends with cross frames consisting of parallel bars 12 which are secured at their ends to right angular brackets 13 arranged in pairs and having the ends of the connecting bars 12 disposed against the outer sides of their vertically disposed webs, the bases of these brackets, or the horizontal webs thereof, being extended toward each other with their edges out of contact, as shown at 14 in Fig. 4. Resting upon the horizontal flanges or webs of the brackets 13 are plates 15 which fit closely between the vertical or side webs of the brackets and project therefrom over the side rails 2 of the bedstead, as cl arly shown. At the inner end of each plate 15 is provided a stop pin or lug 16 of any suitable type which is adapted, at times, to impinge against the inner ends of the brackets 13 and thereby limit the outward movement of the plate while, at the outer end of each plate, there is firmly secured to the underside of the same an angle bracket 17 which is adapted to rest upon the side rail 2 and have one web depend at the inner side of the rail so as to impinge against the same and thereby resist possible transverse movement of the spring bed. Through the outer ends of the vertical webs of the brackets 13 is inserted a bolt 18 having a spacer sleeve 19 fitted thereon between the brackets so that, when the nut 20 on the end of the bolt is turned home, the brackets may be secured together and against the ends of the spacer sleeve so that the plate 15 will be held against twisting movement and also against vertical movement relative to the brackets, the spacer sleeve 19 resting on the plate, as shown in Fig. 3. A bolt is fitted through the imier ends of the brackets 13 and this bolt is equipped with a wing nut 22 adapted to be turned home against the outer side of one of the brackets so that the side members of the brackets will be drawn firmly against the edges of the supporting plate 15 and thereby firmly clamp the same in its set position. It will be readily understood that, by shifting the plate 15 endwise between the brackets 13, the spring bed may be adjusted to bedsteads of various widths and will be readily fitted thereto.

Hock-bolts 23 are engaged at their upper ends over the upper edges of the brackets 13 and depend at the outer sides of the brackets, as shown clearly in Figs. 3 and 4, the lower ends of the hook-bolts being passed through a washer or spacer plate 24 which bridges the hook-bolts and serves to maintain them in parallel relation whereby they will be prevented from bending and exerting undue wear upon the brackets or the transverse bars 12. Spacer sleeves 25 are provided around the hook-bolts 23 so that, when the nuts 26 upon the lower ends of said bolts are turned home against the plate 24, a proper resistance or abutment for the plate will be provided. The plate 24 also serves as a support for expansion springs 2'7 which are coiled around the hook-bolts between the plate 24 and the angle bar 9, the ends of the springs'being fitted in openings provided therefor in the angle bar and spacer plate respectively, as shown most clearly in Figs. 3 and 4, whereby the springs are held against rotational displacement. It will thus be seen that the spring bed structure is suspended upon the side rails of the bedstead but the weight imposed thereon is carried by the springs 3 and the springs 27 which are located near the corners of the spring bed frame and, consequently, the movement of the spring bed in yielding to a weight imposed thereon will extend over the entire area of the structure. The angle bars 9 are provided on their inner sides, immediately below the brackets 13 and the carrying plates 15, with lugs 28 arranged in pairs and each pair receiving and having pivoted thereto the outer end of an equalizing lever 29. The levers 29 are disposed between the cross bars 12 and are pivotally supported between their ends by pivot pins or bolts 30 inserted through the levers and having their ends carried by the bars 12. A spacer sleeve 31 is disposed around the pivot bolt 30, between the lever 29 and the respective bar 12, so that the lever will be maintained in a position parallel with the bars and midway between them. The inner endsof the levers are disposed on the medial longitudinal line of the spring bed and they are constructed with longitudinal tongues 32 which, as shown in Fig. 5, are disposed in the same vertical plane, one above the other, and are secured within a link 33 by pivot pins or bolts 34. It will now be understood that when weight is imposed upon the spring bed it is transmitted through the several springs and the slats or cross bars to the side angle bars 9 and from these bars 'is transferred to the supporting springs 27. These springs 27 rest upon the resistance plate or washer 24 which is carried by the hook-bolts 23 and,

as the hook-bolts 'are suspended from the brackets 13 and the cross bars 12 which in turn rest firmly upon the side rails 2 of the bedstead, it will be seen that, while the springs 27 may be compressed, they cannot drop and permit the spring bed to pass through the bedstead. The bed springs 3, however, may pass downwardly between the side rails of the bedstead and, consequently, any tendency of the bed to tilt will be mitigated. Moreover, when either side bar 9 moves downwardly under weight imposed upon the bed, the ends of the levers 29 will move downwardly with the side bar. The frames consisting of the bars 12, however, cannot move downwardly inasmuch as they are firmly supported by the side rails of the bedstead and, consequently, the levers will be rocked about their pivots 30 and their inner ends will be moved upwardly. The inner ends of the levers are connected by the links 33 with the cooperating or mating levers 29 at the opposite side of the bed and, consequently, the inner ends of these'connected levers will be moved upwardly to the same extent that the ends of the levers directly actuated by the weight imposed upon the bed are moved upwardly so that the outer ends of the cooperating levers will be moved downwardly in a like degree and, consequently, the attached side bar 9 will be moved downwardly relative to the adjacent side rails of the bedstead so that both sides of the spring bed will be moved downwardly to the same extent and, consequently, tilting of the spring bed will be positively resisted and overcome or prevented.

In Fig. l, I have shown coiled springs 85 attached to and extending between adjacent bed springs 3 so that yieldable connections between said springs at the tops and bottoms of the same will be provided, but it will be understood that the springs 35 may be omitted.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be seen that I have provided a very simple, compact and emcient spring bed which may be produced at a low cost and which, when in use, will be found highly eflicient. The spring bed is supported yieldably at or adjacent its corners and any movement due to weight imposed upon the bed at any point will extend all over the bed so that tilting will not occur. The equalizing levers are so connected with the yieldable supports that any tendency of the spring bed to tilt will be positively resisted.

It will be understood, of course, that the usual mattress, indicated at 36, is placed over the spring bed and the sleeper will, of course, rest upon this superposed mattress, but the presence of the mattress does not aifect, in any way, the operation or advantages of the spring bed.

Having thus described the invention, I claim,

A spring bed comprising a frame, bed springs mounted upon said frame, equalizing levers pivoted at their outer ends to the respective sides of the frame, a link pivoted to and connecting the inner ends of the equalizing levers, carrying members extending transversely of the frame and having their outer ends adapted to rest upon the side rails of a bedstead, the equalizing levers be-' ing pivoted between their ends to said carrying members, hook-bolts suspended on the carrying members at the ends thereof and passing through the sides of the frame, abutments on the hookbolts below the frame, and compression springs fitted about the hook-bolts between said abutments and the underside of the frame.

COLBY B. CI-DBNAULT. [L. 5.] 

